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IBM adds iPhone support to Lotus Domino

Simplifies licensing, offers Designer free

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IBM is rolling out a new version of Lotus Domino today that introduces native support for the iPhone. The software update now lets users automatically sync email, contacts and calendar data over the air to their Apple handset.

Domino 8.5.1 supports all existing iPhone models using IBM's Lotus Notes Traveler software. In addition to push email, contacts and calendar, the software lets iPhone users access a directory look-up feature to find contact information behind their company firewall and remotely erase data on the device if it's lost or stolen.

The software update also soups up support for the Nokia Symbian platform, adding remote wipe, device lock, password management, and external calendar integration. Such features are already available on Windows Mobile Devices hooking into Domino.

IBM hopes adding support for the very popular iPhone will make its Lotus suite more appealing to enterprises. And to that tune, the company has also decided to cut away its client licensing options from 11 to just two based on function rather than client type.

As part of 8.5.1, IBM will offer two client options; the messaging server license, which allows access to Domino email calendar and scheduling for $100 per user; and the enterprise server license, which adds support for custom intranet and web applications for $160 per user.

IBM's Domino Designer development tool will also now be offered gratis to spur more development on the platform.

"We are accelerating the delivery of millions of existing Lotus Domino applications to mobile users, and promoting the creation of a variety of new ones to help people work smarter on the go," said Kevin Cavanaugh, veep of messaging and collaboration at IBM, in a statement.